Floor light

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates to a floor panel and a flooring with a preferably continuous and unbroken front face, which is at least partially light transmitting and which has a light pattern/sign at the front face.

BENEFIT

The present application claims the benefit of U.S. ProvisionalApplication No. 60/757,892, filed in the United States on Jan. 11, 2006,the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein byreference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a flooring and a floorpanel with a continuous and unbroken front surface, which is at leastpartially light transmitting, providing for a light sign or pattern atthe front face.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the invention may concern a laminate floor panelcomprising a mechanical locking system, formed at least at two oppositeedges and with a continuous and unbroken front surface, which is atleast partially light transmitting. The following description of knowntechniques, problems of known systems and objects and features ofembodiments of the invention will above all, as a non-restrictiveexample, be aimed as the field of the application. It should beemphasised that embodiments of the invention may be used in any floorpanel and it could be combined with all types of known locking systems,for example, where the floor panels are intended to be joined using amechanical locking system connecting the panels in the horizontal andvertical directions on at least two adjacent sides. Embodiments of theinvention may also be applicable to, for example, solid wooden floors,parquet floors with a core of wood or wood-fibre-based material and asurface of wood or wood veneer and the like, floors with a printed andpreferably also varnished surface, floors with a surface layer ofplastic or cork, linoleum, rubber. Even floors with hard surfaces suchas stone, tile and similar may be included and floorings with soft wearlayer, for example, needle felt glued to a board. The invention can alsobe used for building panels, which preferably contain a board material,for example, wall panels, ceilings, furniture components and similar.

It is known that an illuminated floor can be assembled of wooden panelscomprising illumination devices mounted through holes of the woodenpanels, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,095,412.

It is also known that an illuminated floor can be achieved by panels ofglass or plastic assembled above illumination devices, for example, asdescribed in DE 200 04 992 U1.

The illuminated floor panels known up to now have several disadvantages.There are apertures and notches at the front surface, due to the brokensurface, which collect dust and moisture, and which apertures also lowerthe impact strength and the wear resistance. Alternatively, the panelscomprise a surface of plastic or glass, which is a poor material for afloor panel with low strength and wear resistance. The known floorpanels are also not aesthetically pleasing since they do not look like anormal panel and therefore do not blend in to a normal floor. Anotherdisadvantage is that the known panels are difficult to assemble anddisassemble, which is of great importance for a floor panel with alighting means, since the lighting device must be possible to repair orexchange.

OBJECTS AND SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention may include a floor panel orflooring with a light means, in particular a laminate floor panel, whichprovides for new embodiments according to different aspects offeringrespective advantages. A useful area for the floor panels are publicflooring, e.g. in stores, restaurants, ships, hotels and airports, forinformation signs or decoration.

According to a first aspect, embodiments of the invention provides for alaminate floor panel, which is at least partly light transmitting,comprising a front face, a rear face, a surface layer ofresin-impregnated sheets and a wood-based core. The light transmittingis preferably obtained by removing parts of the core or even parts ofthe surface layer to such an extent that a light source located underthe floor surface is visible at the front face.

According to a preferred embodiment of this first aspect there is anaperture at the rear face of the floor panel and a transmitting layerbetween the bottom of the aperture and the front face. The aperture ispreferably formed by mechanical working, e.g. drilling and chipping.

Laminate flooring usually comprises a core of a 6-9 mm fibreboard, a0.2-0.8 mm thick upper decorative surface layer of laminate, preferablycomprising sheet material impregnated with thermosetting resins and a0.1-0.6 mm thick lower balancing layer of laminate, plastic, paper orlike mate-vial. The surface layer provides appearance and durability tothe floorboards; and preferably contains at least one layer imprintedwith a pattern, for example a wood pattern printed on a paper layer. Thecore provides stability, and the balancing layer keeps the board planewhen the relative humidity (RH) varies during the year. The floorboardsare generally laid floating, i.e. without gluing, on an existingsubfloor.

The front surface of the floor panel according to the first aspect ofthe invention may be a wear resistant material, covering any objectunder the panel, and is continuous and also a natural floor material. Afirst advantage is that there are no dust or moisture collectingapertures or notches at the front surface. A second advantage is thatwhen the lighting means is turned of, the floor panel looks just like anormal floor. A third advantage is that the floor panel has a high wearand impact resistance.

Preferably, a mechanical locking system is formed at least at twoopposite edges of the floor panel, which facilitates the joining of asimilar floor panel or a normal floor panel, which is not partlylight-transmitting. Mechanical locking system joined by angling are forinstance known from WO 94/26999, which is especially advantageous at thelong sides of a rectangular floor, and another locking system especiallyadvantageous at the short sides, particularly when combined with anangling locking system like the one described in WO 94/26999, aredescribed in PCT/SE2005/001586, owner Valinge Innovation AB. Othershapes of floor panels are also possible. One advantage in providing anilluminated floor panel with a mechanical locking system is that whenyou want or need to change an illuminated floor panel, due to failure oflighting means or a desire to have another light sign/symbol, it issimple to disassemble such floor panels and to change the illuminatedpanels. The above mentioned combination of locking systems make itpossible to join floor panels by several methods, preferably with asingle action method, where the long edge is installed with angling andthe short edge, which is provided with a flexible tongue, with verticalfolding. This combination is also very easy to disassemble. Othermechanical locking system are also known, and possible to use, which arejoined by Angling-Angling, Angling-Snapping or Snapping-Snapping.Floor-boards with a mechanical locking system are generally laidfloating, i.e. without gluing, on an existing subfloor.

Evidently it is also possible to use a tongue and a groove joint,usually combined with gluing or nailing or other fastening means.

According to an embodiment of the first aspect, the wood based core ismade of MDF or HDF.

According to another embodiment, lighting means is mounted into theaperture. It is also possible to connect a conductor to the lightingmeans and in the same or another aperture a battery cell and/or areceiver and/or a control unit. The aperture is preferably filled with afilling material, preferably light transmitting.

The thickness of the transmitting layer is adapted to the power of thelighting means, with the aim of facilitating light to transmit throughthe transmitting layer. The transmitting layer preferably comprisingsubstantially the surface layer or the surface layer and a part of thecore under the surface layer.

According to a second aspect, embodiments of the invention provide for afloor panel comprising a light-transmitting core of plastic or glass anda surface layer of resin-impregnated sheets, which is also at leastpartly light transmitting. It is feasible to mount a light means underthe floor panel, preferably in a subfloor or into an aperture. Anadvantage with this system is that it is easier to mount, connect andcontrol the lighting means; the draw back is that the subfloor normallyhas to be worked or changed. It is also possible to combine a flooraccording to the first aspect with such a sub-floor comprising alighting means, provided that if there is a filler, the filler is lighttransmitting.

According to a first embodiment of the second aspect, only a part islight transmitting. Before attaching the surface layer to thelight-transmitting core the rear side of the surface layer is worked,chemically or mechanically, forming a thinner part with alight-transmitting layer. Preferably, the space between the transmittinglayer and the core is filled with a light transmitting filler, e.g.resin. An advantage of this embodiment is that it is possible to createa light pattern with only one lighting means.

According to second embodiment of the second aspect, the whole surfacelayer is light transmitting and the light pattern at the front surfaceis formed by the lighting means solely. Another possibility is thatthere is a second layer between the surface layer and the core, which ispartly light transmitting, or the attaching means has various lighttransmitting properties, forming the light pattern at the front surface.

In both embodiments the attaching means also is preferably lighttransmitting, at least at the transmitting layer. The thickness of thetransmitting layer, respectively in the first embodiment and of thesurface layer in the second embodiment, is adapted to the power of thelighting means, with the aim of facilitating light to transmit.

Preferably, a mechanical locking system is formed at the edges, alike asin the first aspect, resulting in the same advantages.

In the first and second aspect of the invention the resin impregnatedsheets could be replaced with a wood veneer, preferably treated with oilor varnish.

According to a third aspect, embodiments of the invention provide for afloor panel comprising a solid wood body, an aperture at the rear faceof the floor panel and a transmitting layer between the bottom of theaperture and the front face. The aperture is preferably formed bymechanical working, e.g. drilling and chipping and the front surfacepreferably treated with oil or varnish.

Preferably, a mechanical locking system is formed at the edges, alike asdescribed in the first aspect, resulting in the same advantages.

According to another embodiment of the third aspect a lighting means ismounted into the aperture. It is also possible connect a conductor tothe lighting means and in the same or another aperture a battery celland/or a receiver and/or a control unit. The aperture is preferablyfilled with a filling material, preferably light transmitting. Anothersolution is to mount a light means under the floor panel, as describedin the second aspect, resulting in the same advantages.

The thickness of the transmitting layer is adapted to the power of thelighting means, with the aim of facilitating light to transmit throughthe transmitting layer.

According to a second object, embodiments of the invention provide for aflooring comprising at least one of the floor panels above in the firstobject, joined to one or more similar floor panels or one or more normalfloor panels, which are not partly light-transmitting.

Preferably the flooring is joined on a sub-floor comprising a lightingmeans mounted in e.g. an aperture or recess of the sub-floor.

A preferred lighting means is a light emitting diode, due to the lowheat generation and small size.

In view of the above, an objective of embodiments of the invention is tosolve or at least reduce the problems discussed above.

In particular, an objective of embodiments of this invention is toprovide a floor panel with a light pattern/sign, which when anaccompanying light means is turned off looks like a normal floor panel,and due to the front face of the floor panel being of a normal floormaterial the wear resistance is high. There are also no dust andmoisture collecting apertures and recesses at the front face.

An advantage of forming a mechanical locking system at the edges of thefloor panel is that it is easy to assemble and also disassemble andchange the floor panel with the light pattern/sign.

All references to “a/an/the [element, device, component, means, step,etc]” are to be interpreted openly as referring to at least one instanceof said element, device, component, means, step, etc., unless explicitlystated otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1 a-b are a schematic top plan view and a schematic bottom viewrespectively of a floor panel according to one embodiment of theinvention,

FIG. 2 shows a view whereby panels are joined by a single-action,angling at one edge and vertical folding at an adjacent edge.

FIGS. 3 a-d show in cross-section different embodiments of theinvention.

FIGS. 4 a-c show in cross-section different embodiments of a floor panelmounted on a sub-floor with a lighting means.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, embodiments of the invention relate toa floor panel and a flooring, provided with a light sign or pattern. Thesign or pattern is preferably not visible when a related lighting meansis turned off, and in that state the floor panel or the flooring looksjust like a normal floor and all the features related to the lightingare covered. The lighting means is mounted in the floor panel or in asub-floor.

According to a first aspect of the invention, a laminate floor panel 1,at least partly light transmitting, may comprise a front face 2 and arear face 3 and a light sign or a decoration 9 is provided at the frontface. The floor panel may further comprise, as shown in FIGS. 3 a-c,surface layer 33 of resin impregnated sheets or a wood veneer, a woodbased core 35, an aperture 31 at the rear-face of the floor panel and atransmitting layer between the bottom of the aperture and the frontface. The thickness of the transmitting layer is adapted to the power ofan accompanying lighting means 36, aiming at facilitating light totransmit through the transmitting layer. The sign or decoration 9 ispreferably only visible when the related lighting means is turned on andthe lighting means it self and the aperture is preferably never visiblefrom the front face. In one alternative, the transmitting layer 32 onlycomprises the surface layer 33 and in a second alternative thetransmitting layer 32′ also comprises the core 35. The aperture 32 is atleast partly preferably filled with a filler 37, preferably lighttransmitting.

Preferably a mechanical locking system 6, 6′ is formed at least at twoopposite edges 5 a, 5 b or 4 a, 4 b. The most preferred mechanicallocking system comprising a flexible tongue, which results in a verysimple assemble and disassemble operation, facilitating the change ofthe floor panel with the light sign. The floor panel 1 in FIG. 2 isjoined along a first edge 5 b to a second edge of an adjacent floorpanel 1′, with a mechanical locking system 6′ comprising a flexibletongue 10, by vertical folding, and along a third edge 4 b to the fourthedge 4 a of another adjacent floor panel 1″, with a mechanical lockingsystem 6, by angling. The whole panel 1 is joined in a single action.Other known mechanical locking systems for floor panels are alsopossible to use.

One alternative is to attach the lighting means into the aperture andconnect it with a conductor 39 and via the conductor control thelighting means by a control unit C. A battery cell B and a receiver R isalso possible to connect via the conductor. A second alternative is tomount the lighting means and a battery cell in the same aperture,together with preferably a receiver R and a control unit C. Theconductor is preferably attached into a recess of the floor panel andcovered with a filler, e.g. resin. One example of a lighting means is alight emitting diode and another example is fibre optic. If fibre opticis used, the conductor is a fibre optic cable.

The wood-based core is preferably a particle, MDF or HDF board.

According to a second aspect of the invention, represented in FIGS. 4b-c, the floor panel comprising a core made of a light transmittingmaterial 40, such as plastic or glass and a surface layer 33 of resinimpregnated sheets or wood veneer, which are at least partly lighttransmitting. The floor panels are mounted on a sub-floor 41, comprisinga lighting means 36, preferably a light emitting diode, mounted into anaperture 43 of the sub-floor. One alternative is to connect the lightingmeans with a conductor 39 mounted into a recess 42 of the subfloor andvia the conductor control the lighting means by a control unit C. Abattery cell B and a receiver R is also possible to connect via theconductor. A second alternative is to mount the lighting means and abattery cell in the same aperture, together with preferably a receiver Rand a control unit C. Also the floor panel according to the secondaspect is preferably joined by a mechanical locking system, alike asdescribed above.

In one embodiment, see FIG. 4 b, the surface layer has at least one areacomprising a thinner and light transmitting layer, which is mechanicallyor chemically worked. A space 44 between the core 40 and thetransmitting layer is preferably filled with a light transmittingfiller.

In a second embodiment, see FIG. 4 c, the whole surface layer 33 islight transmitting. The pattern or sign at the front face is in thisembodiment formed by the formation of the lighting means 36. Is it alsopossible to form the light pattern or the sign at the front face by anadditional layer between the surface layer and the core or by theattaching means used for attaching the surface layer to the core. Theadditional layer could be punched or could have a printed pattern, whichis at least partly visible from the front face. In this case, theadditional layer and the attaching means has light-transmittingproperties, which varies over the front surface. The design of the wholefloor panel could be changed if the surface is light transmitting. Theappearance of several panels in a floor could for example be varied overtime by changing the light intensity in individual floor panes. Thiswill create a new design element which could be very attractive in forexample show rooms, shops etc.

A third aspect of the invention, represented in FIG. 3 d, is a partlylight-transmitting floor panel, comprising a body 38 of solid wood, anaperture, a lighting means 36, and a transmitting layer 32″ between thebottom of the aperture and the front face. The aperture is preferably,at least partly, filled with a filler. The features described above forthe first aspect and related to the mechanical locking, the lightingmeans, the battery cell, the receiver and the control unit areapplicable also to a floor panel according to the third aspect. FIG. 4 ashows that it is also possible to mount a floor panel according to thefirst and third aspect on a sub-floor comprising a lighting means.

The thickness of the transmitting layer, described above in thedifferent aspects of the invention, is preferably in the range of 0.05-1mm and most preferably in the range of 0.3-0.7 mm. The thickness dependsof the power of the lighting means and the light transmitting propertiesof the material, and to some extent also the strength of the material.Most materials suitable for flooring could be light transmitting if theyare made thin enough. Stone, tiles and a lot of different plastic andwood based materials are possible to use. In metal surfaces for examplemicro openings which are not visible from the surface could be made andpreferably filled with a light transmitting material

A second object of embodiments of the invention is a flooring comprisingat least one of the floor panels above, joined to one or more similarfloor panels or one or more normal floor panels, which are not partlylight-transmitting.

Embodiments of the invention have mainly been described above withreference to a few embodiments. However, as is readily appreciated by aperson skilled in the art, other embodiments than the ones disclosedabove are equally possible within the scope of the invention, as definedby the appended claims.

Generally, all terms used in the claims are to be interpreted accordingto their ordinary meaning in the technical field, unless explicitlydefined otherwise herein.

1. A floor panel comprising a front face and a rear face, the floorpanel is at least partly light transmitting, the floor panel furthercomprising: a light transmitting part; an aperture extending through therear face of the floor panel to a bottom and configured for receiving alight source therein; a surface layer of a resin impregnated laminatepaper sheet or wood material defining the front face, wherein the frontface is continuous and unbroken over the light transmitting part, suchthat the resin impregnated laminate paper sheet or wood materialdefining the front face is continuous and unbroken through the entirelight transmitting part and is continuous and unbroken over and beyondthe aperture, wherein a thickness of the light transmitting part isadapted to the power of the light source, facilitating an observableamount of light to transmit through the light transmitting part, whereinthe light transmitting part is between the bottom of the aperture andthe front face of the floor panel, wherein the light transmitting partis substantially only the resin impregnated laminate paper sheet or woodmaterial.
 2. The floor panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floorpanel comprises a core of a wood-based material.
 3. The floor panel asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the core comprises HDF, MDF or particleboard.
 4. The floor panel as claimed in claim 2, wherein the continuousand unbroken surface layer is wood veneer.
 5. The floor panel as claimedin claim 1, wherein the aperture comprises a light transmitting filler.6. The floor panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the floor panelcomprises a light source in the aperture.
 7. The floor panel as claimedin claim 6, wherein a conductor is connected to the light source.
 8. Thefloor panel as claimed in claim 7, wherein the conductor is mounted intoa recess, at the rear face of the floor panel.
 9. The floor panel asclaimed in claim 8, wherein the recess comprises filler.
 10. The floorpanel as claimed in claim 6, wherein a power source is mounted at thefloor board and connected to the light source.
 11. The floor panel asclaimed in claim 6, wherein a control unit controls the light source,and wherein the control unit is mounted at the floor panel.
 12. Thefloor panel as claimed in claim 6, wherein the light source is connectedto a receiver mounted at the floor panel.
 13. The floor panel as claimedin claim 6, wherein the light source is a light-emitting diode.
 14. Thefloor panel as claimed in claim 6, wherein the aperture comprises afiller.
 15. The floor panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein thelight-transmitting part of the continuous and unbroken surface layer isthinner than a remainder of the surface layer.
 16. The floor panel asclaimed in claim 15, wherein the thinner and light-transmitting part ismechanically worked by cutting or grinding.
 17. The floor panel asclaimed in claim 15, wherein the floor panel comprises a lighttransmitting filler between the thinner and light-transmitting part ofthe surface layer and the core.
 18. The floor panel as claimed in claim1, wherein a mechanical locking system is formed at an edge of the floorpanel.
 19. The floor panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein an underlayeris attached to the rear face.
 20. A flooring consisting of at least twofloor panels according to the floor panel defined in claim
 1. 21. Theflooring as claimed in claim 20, wherein the flooring comprises asub-floor.
 22. The flooring as claimed in claim 21, wherein thesub-floor comprises a light source mounted into an aperture of thesub-floor.
 23. The flooring as claimed in claim 22, wherein the lightsource comprises two or more lighting devices mounted into a recess. 24.The flooring as claimed in claim 20, wherein at least two floor panelsare mechanically joined at adjacent edges.
 25. The flooring as claimedin claim 20, wherein an underlay is attached to the floor panel and ahole in the underlay matches a light-transmitting part of the floorpanel.
 26. The floor panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein an outerperimeter of the floor panel is defined by a single unitary flooringelement, said light transmitting part is integral with the floor panelwithin the outer perimeter, and the light source is removable therefrom.27. The floor panel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of thelight transmitting part is in the range of 0.05-1 mm.
 28. The floorpanel as claimed in claim 1, wherein the thickness of the lighttransmitting part in the range of 0.3-0.7 mm.
 29. The floor panel asclaimed in claim 2, wherein the continuous and unbroken surface layer isa resin impregnated laminate paper sheet.
 30. A floor panel comprising afront face and a rear face, the floor panel is at least partly lighttransmitting, the floor panel further comprising: a light transmittingpart; an aperture extending through the rear face of the floor panel toa bottom and configured for receiving a light source therein; a core ofa wood-based material; and a separate surface layer of a resinimpregnated laminate paper sheet or wood material defining the frontface, wherein the front face is continuous and unbroken over the lighttransmitting part, such that the resin impregnated laminate paper sheetor wood material defining the front face is continuous and unbrokenthrough the entire light transmitting part and is continuous andunbroken over and beyond the aperture, wherein a thickness of the lighttransmitting part is adapted to the power of the light source,facilitating an observable amount of light to transmit through the lighttransmitting part, wherein the resin impregnated laminate paper sheet orwood material is directly connected to the core.
 31. The floor panel asclaimed in claim 30, wherein the core comprises HDF, MDF or particleboard.
 32. The floor panel as claimed in claim 30, wherein thecontinuous and unbroken surface layer is wood veneer.
 33. The floorpanel as claimed in claim 30, wherein the continuous and unbrokensurface layer is a resin impregnated laminate paper sheet.
 34. The floorpanel as claimed in claim 30, wherein the aperture comprises a lighttransmitting filler.
 35. The floor panel as claimed in claim 30, whereinthe floor panel comprises a light source in the aperture.
 36. The floorpanel as claimed in claim 30, wherein the light transmitting part isbetween the bottom of the aperture and the front face of the floorpanel, and wherein the light transmitting part is substantially only thesurface layer.
 37. The floor panel as claimed in claim 30, wherein thelight transmitting part is between the bottom of the aperture and thefront face of the floor panel, and wherein the light transmitting partis substantially only the surface layer and the core.
 38. The floorpanel as claimed in claim 30, wherein the light-transmitting part of thecontinuous and unbroken surface layer is thinner than a remainder of thesurface layer.
 39. The floor panel as claimed in claim 30, wherein amechanical locking system is formed at an edge of the floor panel. 40.The floor panel as claimed in claim 30, wherein an underlayer isattached to the rear face.
 41. A floor panel comprising a front face anda rear face, the floor panel is at least partly light transmitting,wherein the floor panel is substantially of solid wood, the floor panelfurther comprising: a light transmitting part of solid wood; an apertureextending through the rear face of the floor panel to a bottom andconfigured for receiving a light source therein; wherein the front faceis solid wood and is continuous and unbroken through the entire lighttransmitting part and is continuous and unbroken over and beyond theaperture, wherein a thickness of the light transmitting part is adaptedto the power of the light source, facilitating an observable amount oflight to transmit through the light transmitting part.
 42. The floorpanel as claimed in claim 41, wherein the aperture comprises a lighttransmitting filler.
 43. The floor panel as claimed in claim 41, whereinthe floor panel comprises a light source in the aperture.
 44. The floorpanel as claimed in claim 41, wherein a mechanical locking system isformed at an edge of the floor panel.